| Middle School Group | The Middle School Group will meet on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Youth participating will be in 6th-8th grades. Sixth graders are invited to participate in the 456 group as well.
Interested in joining the Middle School Group? Contact the church office at (952)545-2586.
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| Confirmation Class 2009 - By Janet Martin | Rev. Stan and Janet taught the 2009 Confirmation Class which consisted of three boys: Jermaine McGee, Travis Nold, and James Ostrem. We had a total of eight classes that we held on Sunday after worship. This year we asked that the boys attend at least seven classes and we asked the parents to join us for half of the first and last class, which they did. We thank them for their commitment.
We studied 10 units so we doubled up on unit lessons in some classes. There was a quiz on each unit and a final quiz over all the units. In addition, they also studied and memorized the 66 books of the Bible, the Apostles Creed, the Lord's Prayer and the Nicene Creed. As we did last year, the class wrote a Statement of Faith that we will use during the May 31 service. They worked together to find common words and meaning in this process.
Help us welcome them with warm hearts and a loving spirit as they join the body of Christ. May we encourage and mentor them along their journey.
2009 Confirmation Group Statement of Faith
We believe God is all powerful and always forgiving.
We believe Jesus is fully one with God.
He is our lively, faithful friend.
We believe the Holy Spirit is strong like a lion
and guiding like the wind.
We know that all three work together to make us a whole and a connected body of believers.
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| Congratulations to the Graduates of 2009! | Our Peace Church graduates:
- Courtney Plender, St. Louis Park High School
- Katie Twedell, Andover High School
Karen and Pete May's daughter, Julie, graduated from the University of Minnesota on May 17 with a Major in Art. She is also enrolled at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College pursuing classes in Graphic Arts.
Ardy and Bob Volk's granddaughter, Marjie Volk (daughter of Greg and Ruth), is graduating from Eagan High School on June 12. She will be attending Iowa State University in the fall with a major in Architecture and Fine Arts.
Naomi Corrine Leininger, daughter of Charles Leininger, Jr., will graduate June 6 from Harbor City High School in Two Harbors, Minnesota. Naomi is the granddaughter of Chuck & Jodee Leininger, niece of Amy Leininger, Dawn DeBuhr and Tracy DeBuhr, and cousin of Jermaine and Anthony McGee.
Betts Snyder is the proud and happy grandmother of three graduates this spring: 1) Granddaughter Larisa Gorski will graduate Summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota and plans to pursue a graduate degree in English and African language studies at the University of Wisconsin - Madison; 2) Granddaughter Annalise Larson will graduate with honors from the Shanghai American High School in Shanghai, China, and will attend Hope College in Holland, Michigan, in the fall; and 3) Foster grandson Nathan Cole will graduate from Stillwater High School and will attend Mankato State this fall.
Quilters Honor Graduates
On June 7th, Graduation Sunday, the Peace Church High School graduates will be honored with their choice of one of the beautiful quilts made by the Quilters. The rest of the quilts on display in the Sanctuary will be available for sale while they last. Suggested donation start at $50
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| Youth and Children's Ministry TaskForce. - By Robin Councilman | Summary of the Final Report from the youth and children's ministry task force. (A full report is on the bulletin board in the church office.)
The need in our church and in our community: Peace church presently has among its active member families: two infants, five toddlers, four preschoolers, six early elementary, five upper elementary, nine middle schoolers, and six high schoolers, for a total of 37 children and youth encompassing 21 families.
In St. Louis Park as a whole, 18 of the population is younger than 18 years old and 25 of households have a member under 18 years of age.
Our Mission: To educate, encourage and equip our children to develop their Christian lives through an open, accepting, and caring environment filled with love.
Suggested Programming:
Based on survey results, our distribution of children and youth, and our commitment to ALL children in Peace Church, whether they are the only one in their grade or there are many in their grade, we are compelled to have a Children and Youth Ministry that includes:
- Weekly Middle school group on Wednesday evenings.
- Monthly after church 4-5-6er events.
- Monthly parent group associated with multiage kids activities and whole family activities (this has already started on the first Friday of each month).
- Occasional full family and multiage holiday-based or fun activities.
- A variety of service projects that incorporate whole families and multigenerational activities.
- New summer multiage family activities like bike rides and possibly gardening in a plot in the new community garden, possibly planting pumpkins to then carve for Halloween come fall. Involving the children and youth in the garden would give them a link to the church during the summer months even if they are out of town on weekends.
- We will continue with Sunday school and VBS as scheduled, expanding Sunday school back to high school age and ending VBS at 7:30, as well as adding a parents/toddler/infant class to better accommodate those with young children.
Staffing Needs: Our main needs are a person to plan and coordinate (a role that Carolyn Schaefer has generously offered to take on for now) and then volunteers to work with the 4-5-6ers, Middle School group, and a High School group. If members of the congregation are willing to volunteer with the help of Carolyn to plan and coordinate, the present staffing needs may be handled strictly through volunteers; then, once the church is in a better financial situation, aim to hire first a person to take over the planning and coordinating role.
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